2018 / 2019 Buick Regal GS Sportback Review and Comparison 

you know we are living in the golden age of cars when 5.2 seconds to 60 is considered slow, lol

I know looks are subjective, but this car is stunning. Great review!

I'm tall and have founds seats to be my deal killer. Those front seats looks AMAZING. The rear looks spacious enough for my 3 kids in car seats. I would love to try one on for fit.

This is just a super review. The level of detail and informed analysis is miles above the other RU-vid sites.

Alex, please review the Regal TourX wagon AWD

I have a 2013 Buick Verano & I purchased it at 2 yrs old with 14k mileage. It was in pristine condition upon purchase & its got about 55k miles on it now. I can say it’s probably one of the nicest vehicles I’ve owned. You truly get a lot of car for your money. Some of the more popular vehicles on the road, although well built, are just a lot more expensive overall. 25k for the sport back Regal is definitely something I can get on board with! Great review!

One final comment. As someone who has now owned the 2018 regal GS for over a year I totally agree with you about the paddle shifters we miss having them it would be a wonderful addition to make the overall driving experience more fun and reduce brake wear by downshifting when slowing down.

Alex, this was great! Good job. Super informative.

Rented the Vauxhall Insignia on a recent trip to the UK. First of all, the hood design was a little more tweaked than this; it had a few more creases than this making it look a little more aggressive but sophisticated at the same time, and the engine was a 4 cylinder diesel with over 300 lb ft of torque and just over 50 mpg. It FLEW down the highway and was a very comfortable grand tourer, and I didn't even have the top-of-the-line version with AWD. Was very impressed. Got a lot of respect from other road users as they probably didn't know and thought it was an Audi lol

Another great review Alex; I just bought the Aussie version of the V6 AWD, so here's hoping... :-)

The finest automotive journalist on the. Internet bar none.

Nice review. I’d say the 6 signature is an interesting alternative for those who don’t need awd. For less than the GS trim, you get a nicer overall interior and comparably nice drive.

Hey Alex...your editing is usually so spot on...Kept watching the steering wheel movements vs the road ahead...Knew that Buick doesn't understeer that much!! Always you are the best!!

Very interesting review, Alex. Like many others I assumed that the natural competition for the Regal GS would be the Stinger. And I wasn't at all surprised to see the Stinger come out ahead in almost all areas. But what I found unexpected and interesting in your review was the comparison to the 2.0L Turbo Accord. A few months back I was looking seriously at the crop of mid-size sedans and the Accord came out on top in my scoring. But while I looked seriously at the new Mazda6, the new Camry, and the Ford Fusion 2.7L V6 AWD as well as the Accord, it never occurred to me to consider the Buick Regal GS. If I had it to do over, I think I'd at least consider the Regal.

Really nice color! Your review is so good.

I have a 2014 Regal with a 2.0 turbo. It has been a really nice reliable car. I tire of the engine lag at times but find if I put it into manual mode it does not lag and really helps with acceleration and passing. I have not driven the 6 cylinder but it is an engine that GM has refined over the years. The GS has the "sportback" and all wheel drive which I think is very nice. I too wish/hope GM will add paddle shifters and a red leather interior would be great given the very basic exterior color options that they offer. Oh and if I may complete my wish list allow us to turn off the start/stop mode.

Alex, please note that there are more than the two types of AWD systems that you described (permanent RWD + clutch engaged FWD and vice versa). The AWD can be permanently driving both axles, similar to how a regular front or rear diff is driving both wheels. Traditional Quattros with a Torsen centre diff is one example, Mercedes 4matic is another (with open diff). Yes you could vary the geometry in the diff to bias more torque to the rear axle, but you can’t actually disconnect the front axle.

It’s nice to see they offer cornering lights. Audi has this when using the turn signal or turning subtle corners under 30mph. Older cars like Ford/Lincoln, GM, and some Chrysler vehicles offered this. Wish it was more available on new models as it’s a great safety feature at night.

Note: The transmission in the Regal is actually a GM Powertrain/Ford joint design. The hardware is from the two company's engineering department. The shifting tendencies are different because the software is by Ford Engineering for Ford, GM Powertrain for GM. Thanks for the balanced review. As you correctly state, the only thing it shares with the Stinger is the launch time and the hatchback .

Love the history behind the GS.....I sure there will be aftermarket products that will enhance performance in the future......

I like that you are unafraid to give solid opinions a back them up with facts. I still think TCO and expected depreciation should be mentioned too.

The first problem is that it’s the most powerful Buick at 310 Hp? Add a supercharger and these sell like hot cakes! Anyone remember the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP? 3.8 L SC

To me this is such a gorgeous looking ride...nicer than the Stinger or TLX...in terms of value and refinement though I would have to be hard pressed to buy one over a Honda Accord..nice video thanks.

I'm going to buy this after I'm done paying off my current SUV...a 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander GT

Buick could have went further by using a 400 horsepower twin turbo v6, even more aggressive styling like red interior option.

you are the best ALEX no dout love my 2019 aspec just not sure if gm is a comparison to acura .

Incredible amount of info!

Great car & great review (as always). One thing for folks to keep in mind: very few of these cars are being sold here (maybe it's different in EU and AU). Whenever I see a car that nobody's buying, I get a bit queasy (ditto for the Lacrosse). It raises the question: why? It's easy for reviewers to say this or that is great - but what if the public's verdict is overwhelmingly 'no.'

I love this shit. Your videos are always so great.

With this review I think my biggest surprise is actually not about the GS - it's that one of the few things we disagree on is the Acura appearance. For me even with the end of the "bottle opener" grill I find their lineup unattractive. On the GS the sportback design is appealing as I don't want an SUV but do frequently carry a lot of things. I'm waiting to see if the Cadillac CT5 emulates the Escala concept and is also a sportback.

First time I see you videos, I liled a lot, great work

Nice Review Alex. In Canada, the Regal GS loaded is same price as the Kia Stinger GT Limited (oddly, it's much cheaper down there). and oddly again, the Stinger being $50K for GT Limited here, makes it way better than U.S. Stinger prices, So even more reason why the Stinger is the Best choice up here against the Regal and Better Alternative to the German brands, like the A5 and 440i. I dare say even the 640i grand coupe (which is a better vehicle, arguably overall), but for performance characteristics, Stinger compars and is better value.... You said you almost bought one, but tempers calmed and you went with the practical choice for your family. What was that ? I was shopping for a SUV, and came across this, and my mid life crisis and my tempers didn't calm, and i bought one, the Stinger GT Limited ! Love it !! But this Regal GS, in U.S. price points, really looks like a good value !

So I'm looking at the Regal TourX and checking out the comps, came across your video and while watching the driving portion, I'm thinking, "Hey, that looks like Old San Jose Rd!" how random is that?! But back to the car, I really like the Regal TourX, so much car for such a great price. While test driving it I honestly was thinking how much fun this car/wagon (I know, me in a wagon!) would be in the Santa Cruz mountains!

I picked up a 2019 Regal sportback Essence around Christmas for $25,000. A steal. This car is gorgeous, quiet, comfortable, quick, and not too bad on fuel. A real shame Buick is canceling it so soon, as I would have loved to see it into another generation. In the category there isn’t anything that really draws my eye beyond the Mazda 6 and it lacks the cargo room of the sportback.

Hi Alex, you gave the driver seat 9 of 10 but no mention of those racy flat head rests. I would be concerned about not having a thicker and more adjustable head rests as I use mine all the time to reduce fatigue while driving. Thanks!!

Nice thorough review. However I would not compare the stinger to the regal GS so extensively as you did. I believe they are two different cars. You asked for a comment about the fusion. I think regal is far better looking than the fusion. I own the 218 regal GS and absolutely love it. It is our fourth Buick in 25 years and it's nice to have something more sporty with a little better performance for once.

Alex, the LED headlamps are also optional on the GS, not standard.

For future reviews could you if possible incorporate vehicle weight into your specs break down section? Don't even need to mention it just have it on screen when you present the horse power stats. Reason for asking is that a 300hp four door sedan sounds like a fun ride but if it ends up weighing 4000+lbs than 300hp is really not going to be that fast.

Alex, out of all competitors, which do you like the best including the Regal?

No mention of auto "Start/stop" feature and whether it is defeatable or not??

Fully optioned out Stinger is 10k more than similarly optioned GS. GM dealers are giving far better incentives and more flexible on prices. If you don't want to go past 40k for a car, GS is for you. If you are willing to drop another 10k(ish). Get the Stinger. Aside from price point, these cars are in totally different arenas.

This was short lived - reviewed late 2018 - discontiuned less than 2 years later in 2020. So much for the Buick. Now you need to look outside GM for a similar car, like the Japanese or European models, or the Kia Stinger from Korea. Amercia has left this segment of performance four door sedans unless you want to pay over $50,000 for a Cadillac CT5 until it is discontinued (probably) by GM in the next couple of years.

ALEX!! I need your help.. This or a (2017), there hard as hell to find,as well as the 2018 Acrura TLX, 2019 Avalon Touring, and I've had my eye on some 2017 Jaguar XFs! These are on my used car list. Honestly, I just want to lease a Stinger and then buy a CPO G80 some year later. I know right now deals are to be had in the car market as a whole..What are your thoughts

You should review the tourx

One thing I don't think you don't touched on is the sheer MASS of this vehicle and its competitors. I was surprised when you said how fast it is with the V6 compared to the 4 cylinder even with it's higher, more immediate torque peak. Still, with that much to pull around I'm thoroughly impressed at the fuel economy and handling it has. Buick Regal GS Sportback V6: 4,270lb/1,937kg Buick Regal Sportback AWD: 4,096lb/1858kg Honda Accord Sport 2.0T: 3,362lb/1,525kg Acura TLX SH-AWD: 3,838lb/1,740kg Kia Stinger GT2 3.3T AWD: 4,023lb/1,824kg Audi A5 Sportback: 3,450lb/1,565kg Ford Fusion Sport: 4,085lb/1,853kg

I really like the stylish exterior and interior of Regal but I don't really like the model being rebadged in different countries. Brand image is intangible but it does affect one's decision when buying cars.

I completely understand wanting paddle shifters, but can't you manually change gears via the console-mounted shifter?

Interestingly to me, in Germany, Opel sells the Insigna GSi with a slighly higher output 2.0L turbo and not the heavier V6 the GS from Buick gets. That is specific to the USA. It means on the Nurburging in Germany when the OPC (V6) goes against the GSi (I4 turbo) the GSi is actually a little faster due to the curves. On a straight, the OPC is faster.

I think the video got messed up. The steering wheel was turning the opposite way of the road at some portions

Which competitor has better front seats?

Review the TourX, please.

The Fusion and the Buick have the same front end and it is hard to see how it is more attractive. I was tempted to get this car but needed more space so I purchased my first mid-sized SUV. I liked this car, and I did like the Stinger as well, but you definitely pay more for the Stinger. They are both nice cars but they are not the same market when you compare Kia to Buick - on a test track, the Buick actually shuts down its transmission as it is not meant for that (Cadillac is).

Great review as always Alex. I personally had the Regal GS and the Stinger GT for a week each. Honestly I loved them both but found the Buick (surprisingly) nicer for me. As expected the Stinger was a beast and super enjoyable for the performance and handling enthusiast in me, but the longer I drove the two, I found the Buick to be much quieter on the highway at 65-80 mph, the seats of the buick were much more comfortable (another surprise) for my frame for longer trips, the Buick felt much more solid on rougher roads compared to the Stinger that had a strange creek from the hatch. The cargo area was notably larger as well, as you mentioned in your presentation as well. One thing that I find quite puzzling to me regarding the Buick was seeing the Regal GS weighing close to 4300 pds, where the fully loaded much bigger Lacrosse with AWD weighing just over 3800 pds. The Regals engineers should have taken a lesson or two from the Lacrosse engineers. The Regal could have been much quicker. Does this mean the Lacrosse is a much faster car with the 9 speed? I guess we'll see.

I hope you review the TourX next.

Just bought the 2019 Regal GS. So far, really happy. It's a great car, really fun to drive. On the flip side, for the price, the interior could have been more luxurious, I mean, some components looks cheap a bit. Some features like driver's seat backing while opening the door should be available on passenger side too. You have to stop the wiper before you shutoff the engine, otherwise, wipers will stop in the middle of the windshield instead off going back in their initial starting point. Auto shutoff could not be disabled. No other way then pressing the trunk logo to open the trunk. Few little things but overall, I really like it!

beautiful cars. If they only made hybrids/plug-ins I'd consider a Buick

Alex, It's the TourX wagon that needs the publicity.

The out of market version berry's a nicer body kit, paddle shifters and a better sounding exhaust. Buick tried to tailor it for the crowd that was able to buy a GNX back in the day rather than performance mine drivers today. More of a nice poser. Let's hope they do something with that GNX moniker they filled for. If it's kin to the lacrosse that means the xts's twin turbo can fit.

The Commodore is differently setup. Commodores have always been known for being sporty to drive but we’re RWD .Unfortunately because of the Sale of Opel to PSA both theses cars are now different. The Commodore VXR did get the shifters on the Steering Wheel. The sale of Opel coincided with the month the Commodore was released, so the Commodore was only marketed minimally. If that hadn’t have happened I think the next models of both cars would have been really great cars. I own a 2 litre 9 speed Calais. It’s a great motor car a lot quieter than the same badge I replaced it with. Handling is different, the steering light, but I feel the road

The car isn't like the stinger * Keeps comparing it to the stinger.

why would you compare or keep comparing the regal to the stinger when you already stated the two cars are similar in size and not much else?

The Holden Commodore VXR 3.6 gets both paddle shifters and high performance tyres on 20 inch wheels. Maybe Buick needs to make available a performance pack on the gs

This Buick looks better than the 2018 Accord!! Why are all these cars looking better than Honda's?😮🤔🤔

..I don't want a new kia/BMW.. I looking for a Buick. If u want a stinger.. buy a stinger

It needs the 3.6 twin turbo asap to compete against Kia stinger or even 3.0 twin turbo gm has them

How come you didn’t address anything below the infotainment system? No mention of the shifter, annoying start/stop system (non defeatable, by the way).

I remember the Buick Apollo

The KIA Stinger can't really be faulted, it does everything well especially handling and outright performance. I never thought I'd be saying that about a large Korean sedan. The Holden Commodore (this car) has tanked in sales in Australia, the market overall just isn't interested. Whether that's because it's a large FWD hatchback I don't know.

Doesn't the transmission have a 'tiptronic' semi-manual feature on the shifter? As for the ZF, I have it fitted to a British built diesel Honda CR-V and its shifting is as good as any, it really is and I've driven many automatics. There are many complaints about it on Jeep Cherokee and I suspect that the different perception is down to the tuning of the transmission's firmware. We do get the Buick here as the Vauxhall Insignia and it has been very popular, especially with fleet buyers, but this whole class of car has gone very much out of fashion over the last few years and in common with the Ford Mondeo/Fusion, sales are a fraction of what they were a decade or two ago. I see far more BMW 3 series than those cars nowadays and way more Audi A4/5.

@Alex on Autos, The Regal GS is nice but let's keep it real the Kia Stinger has 365 horse power while Buick Regal GS has 310 horse power. But regardless they are both nice vehicles I do recommend that in the future Buick Regal GS should boost up their horse power up to 365 or better I have to say I'm not to crazy about this color I like more a Metallic Red or Burgundy colors Thank You for posting.

What tuning opportunities are available for the Regal

2019 models new cars growing in the gross world wide product range not only for each sector interesting enough 9 upon 10.

Thanks Alex, I really need this today 🙌🙌🙌.

Another great review Alex! Thanks for the information.

Headlight reminds of previous gen m3

$45k? That kind of money can get you into a 2018 Lincoln Mkz Reserve for $45.5k before discounts. Yes, the Lincoln have taken a back seat to driving dynamics when it was refreshed last year. In return, it gained 400hp, 400tq from a turbocharged 3.0L 6 cylinder engine. This is a steal of a lifetime.

Alex, from now on Buick will design their own cars or will they still use (buy) Opels cars?

is it just me...or does the Lacrosse get better MPG than the Regal?

My next car

My wife wants the Tour X. I'm going with the Regal.

I have one beautiful car however gm has a recall on brakes no word as to when parts will be in🤔

GM has a contract with Toyota's transmission company, Aisin, which supplies the 8 speed unit used in the Regal. It also provided all the transmissions in the last generation of the Regal. The transmission is not a clean sheet GM design - it is a clean sheet GM/FORD design. The software is GM only, but the hardware was co-designed by the two companies working together.

Why on earth would they have those beautiul LED tail lights, then have an incandescent bulb turn signal, when the front has those SUPER hi visibility yellow turn signals?

Buick should really give this better interior materials to make it more like a premium/attainable luxury car. If they did that, they would also make it a better luxury player and differentiate it further from Chevrolet. But that aside, the Buick Enclave should really have the same level of seat adjustability as the Regal GS, actually, even more as the Enclave is more expensive, as well as actual massaging seat functionality with upper back and anti-fatigue massaging. Anyway, yeah, the Regal GS should really have paddle shifters and other sporty things that would make it a little sportier. But what would really be awesome? A 350-365 horsepower Twin Turbo V6! If GM were to stick that in the Regal, then that would mark the return of the Grand National. Hell, there are some vehicles that GM should give the Cadillac CT6's Twin Turbo V6.

I did a lot of research lately for a new car to replace my 2010 Passat wagon and the Regal was a top contender. I didn't consider the GS--only the Essence (I don't think Buick offers Avenir trim on the Regal either). The Regal is a nice car, but it was too plain-looking inside for me. Wound up getting a 2019 Acura RDX since I decided to try a crossover and love the SH-AWD.

Great detailed review!

I love GM but the last couple of years their interior designs are a real pain...case in point the AC air vents are blocked by the steering wheel and turn toggle. When its 105 in phoenix I rather have the air on me and not my hands...or they are placed too low CT6...

Harness seats also.

No shift paddles is a bummer...

Thank you sooo much for this video Alex! I ❤ Buick

try shifting. try readjusting the steering collumn. its like hearing lego breaking. it has side door lighting which looks good yes you can spin the front wheel at will. yes it drinks gas. 1/8th of the gas tank is like 5L that can be burnt in no time if you drive spiritedly XD oh and capless gas tank, you wont lose your gas cap dw. expect a lot of front wheel spin if you drive in a rush

Thanks for listening to the community Alex and comparing the Gs!

Yanno I actually really really like this Buick!!

@alexonautos are you gonna review the Regal TourX?

This thing looks amazing.

I bought a 2018 accord- first Honda . Road noise kills this car. 35 mpg good handling but never again.

Soon to be an orphan. The French company that owns Peugeot and Citroen has bought the General Motors European unit, which makes this vehicle.

If Kia/Hyundai didn't go crazy and twin turbo their corporate 3.3L V6.. then this car/engine would be sufficient performance wise.

Why compare it to a stinger. It’s a big price increase between the two

Just a note: Lincoln offers a torque vectoring differential on the MKZ AWD as an option. I think it's called the "Driver's package" or something like that.